The Vanni forest is a heavy forest which covers the Vanni area[1][2] and the majority (approximately 75%) of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. This jungle is spread from Omanthai in south to Paranthan in north. This jungle played a very significant role in the history of Sri Lanka. This forest is located in a dry-zone area. The biodiversity in the Vanni forest is considerably low. There are approximately 300,000 people living near the forest area.[3]
This area was situated between the Sinhalese Kingdoms from the south and the Tamil ruled Jaffna Kingdom from the north. Small groups of Sinhalese and Tamils were established in the Vanni. It brought an ethnic balance to the area. Sinhalese settlements were concentrated in the southern interior of the jungle. Tamils primarily settled in the coastal northern areas of the jungle.[4] Settlements were controlled by a chief selected by the group. Chiefs of Tamil people were called Vanni Chieftains and Sinhala chiefs were called Wanniarachchi. Vanniar Chieftains paid tribute to the Jaffna Kingdom.
This jungle was a hotbed of resistance to the civilizations in ancient kingdoms in Sri Lanka. The Giant's Tank area in Mannar District by King Dhatusena,[5] Eropathana in Vavuniya District, Padawiya area in Anuradhapura District and Mullaitivu District by King Moggallana II[6] proves that the Kingdom of Rajarata, the golden civilization of ancient Sri Lanka is spread to south boundary of the forest. This area was situated between later Rajarata and the Jaffna Kingdom. Vanni forest stood as a heavy barrier to the rising conflict between Sinhalese and Tamils and assured protection to the Jaffna Kingdom from the kingdoms to the south. After the fall of the Kingdom of Rajarata in the 12th century due to the Kalinga Magha invasion, the Vanni forest wasn't part of the Rajarata. In 1323, the Pandyan Jaffna administrative center became the independent Jaffna Kingdom due to the lack of influence from the Pandyans who were engulfed in war with the Delhi Sultanate. The last Pandyan ruler of Madurai was expelled in 1323 by Malik Kafur.[7][8] Within 125 years of establishing the Jaffna kingdom, it lost the control of Vanni area due to lack of support from the Pandyans and rising the power of Sinhala kingdoms in south. It would appear that by the 13th century Tamils withdrew from the Vanni.[9] In 1450 Chempaha Perumal, adopted son of king Parakramabâhu VI of Kotte invaded the Vanni area[10] and Jaffna Kingdom to bring them under the control of Kotte. After the falling of Kotte Kingdom, small groups again settled in Vanni. But they paid tribute either to the Jaffna Kingdom or Kingdom of Kandy.
During the Sri Lankan Civil War period, the LTTE controlled this area until 2008. The majority of the battles which took place during the Civil War took place in the Vanni forest. Modern day forest coverage is low due to deforestation.
In 1936, the town of Paranthan was established, leading to the increased settlement of the Vanni forest. New towns like Kilinochchi, Mankulam, and Puliyankulam were colonized by clearing the forest.[citation needed] This affected the ethnic balance in Vanni area which was between Rajarata and Jaffna Kingdom. After independence from the British, the Sinhalese colonized Tamil lands to neutralize the ethnic balance. This led to another wave of forest clearing, as well as increasing the already heated ethnic tensions between the two groups. The Sinhalese colonization of Tamil lands would serve to be a factor behind the outbreak of the Sri Lankan Civil War.[11]
